Furniture Assembly

ABSTRACT

A furniture assembly adapted to support a human in a seated position, including a novel core sub-assembly, wherein the novel core sub-assembly comprises a seat member, a base member, a left side, a right side, a front side, a back side, an optional back support member, an optional left arm, and an optional right arm, wherein the novel core sub-assembly preferably comprises polystyrene and is optionally associated with a polyurea coating and/or a slipcover.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 62/012,823, filed Jun. 16, 2014, entitled “Furniture Assembly,”which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety—including all references and appendices cited therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to furniture (e.g., chairs,loungers, chaises, sofas, etcetera) and, more particularly, to afurniture assembly that comprises a novel core sub-assembly.

2. Background Art

Furniture assemblies and their coatings, covers, and accessories havebeen known in the art for years and are the subject of a plurality ofpatents and publications, including: U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,482 entitled“Frameless Chair,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,184 entitled “Frameless Chair,”U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2003/0066268 entitled“Process for Packaging a Polyurethane Foam Filled Article of Furniture,”U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,931 entitled “Portable Chair Apparatus,” U.S. Pat.No. 7,571,965 entitled “Molded Foam Pool Chair,” U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,251entitled “Video Game Chair,” U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,509 entitled “JuvenileSeat Cup Holder,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,394 entitled “Molded ReclinerRocker Chair,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,296 entitled “Floating Lounge Chair,”U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,600 entitled “Insulated Cup Holder With FlexibleBase Member,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,852 entitled “Floating, RecliningLounge Mechanism,” U.S. Pat. No. 4,564,240 entitled “Lounger orReclining Chair Made From a Floatable Plastic Body,” U.S. PatentApplication Publication Number 2007/0257530 entitled “Video Game Chair,”and U.S. Patent Application Publication Number 2005/0242643 entitled“Ergonomic Rocker”—all of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entirety including the references cited therein.

While the above-identified patents and publications do appear todisclose furniture assemblies, their configurations remain non-desirousand/or problematic inasmuch as, among other things, none of theabove-identified furniture assemblies appear to utilize a novel coresub-assembly. Such a novel core sub-assembly facilitates the costeffective production of furniture assemblies having one-piece and/orsimplified construction that are light weight, durable, as well assuitable for indoor and outdoor use.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide afurniture assembly that comprises a novel core sub-assembly.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent inlight of the present specification, claims, and drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to, in one embodiment, a furnitureassembly adapted to support a human in a seated position, comprising: anovel core sub-assembly, wherein the novel core sub-assembly comprises aseat member, a base member, a left side, a right side, a front side, aback side, an optional back support member, an optional left arm, and anoptional right arm.

In a preferred embodiment of the present, the novel core sub-assembly isfabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of anatural polymeric resin, a synthetic polymeric resin, polystyrene,polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, bark, cork, and combinationsthereof.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, thepolystyrene comprises a density ranging from approximately 0.8 g/cm³ toapproximately 4.3 g/cm³, and more preferably comprises a density rangingfrom approximately 1.0 g/cm³ to approximately 2.0 g/cm³.

In yet another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the novelcore sub-assembly is at least partially covered with a slipcover. Inthis embodiment, the slipcover preferably comprises a padded seat memberand/or a padded back support member.

In one aspect of the present invention, the slipcover is fabricated froma material selected from the group consisting of a natural material, asynthetic material, cotton, wool, denim, felt, vinyl, leather, rayon,polyester, and combinations thereof.

Preferably, the novel core sub-assembly comprises one or more drainageapertures.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a coating is appliedto at least a portion of an outer surface of the novel coresub-assembly. In this embodiment the coating preferably comprises amaterial selected from the group consisting of an elastomer, a saturatedrubber, an unsaturated rubber, polyurea, vinyl, polyvinylchloride, andcombinations thereof.

The present invention is also directed to, in one embodiment, afurniture assembly adapted to support a human in a seated position,comprising: (a) a novel core sub-assembly, wherein the novel coresub-assembly is fabricated from polystyrene and comprises a seat member,a base member, a left side, a right side, a front side, a back side, aback support member, a left arm, and a right arm; and (b) wherein thenovel core sub-assembly is at least partially covered with a slipcoverand/or a coating is applied to at least a portion of an outer surface ofthe novel core sub-assembly, wherein the coating comprises polyurea.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by theaccompanying figures. It will be understood that the figures are notnecessarily to scale and that details not necessary for an understandingof the invention or that render other details difficult to perceive maybe omitted. It will be further understood that the invention is notnecessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawingswherein:

FIGS. 1-43 of the drawings show, furniture assemblies adapted to supporta human in a seated position having a novel core sub-assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described herein indetail, one or more specific embodiments with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the embodiments illustrated.

It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components,referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings by likereference characters. In addition, it will be understood that thedrawings are merely schematic representations of one or more embodimentsof the invention, and some of the components may have been distortedfrom their actual scale for purposes of pictorial clarity.

Referring now to the collective drawings (FIGS. 1-43), furnitureassembly 10 adapted to support a human in a seated position is disclosedas generally comprising: novel core sub-assembly 12, wherein the novelcore sub-assembly comprises seat member 14, base 16 member, left side18, right side 20, front side 22, back side 24, optional back supportmember 26, optional left arm 28, and optional right arm 30. In oneembodiment of the present invention, core sub-assembly 12 comprises aone-piece, unibody and/or unitary sub-assembly.

Preferably the novel core sub-assembly is fabricated from a materialselected from the group consisting of a natural polymeric resin, asynthetic polymeric resin, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene,polyurethane, bark, cork, and combinations thereof.

In this embodiment, the polystyrene preferably comprises a densityranging from approximately 0.8 g/cm³ to approximately 4.3 g/cm³, andmore preferably comprises a density ranging from approximately 1.0 g/cm³to approximately 2.0 g/cm³.

In another aspect of the present invention, the novel core sub-assemblyis at least partially covered with slipcover 32. Such a slipcover maycomprise padded seat member 34 and/or padded back support member 36. Itwill be understood that the slipcover is preferably fabricated from amaterial selected from the group consisting of a natural material, asynthetic material, cotton, wool, denim, felt, vinyl, leather, rayon,polyester, and combinations thereof. Notably, the furniture assembliesof the present invention can be fabricated without the use of staples,tacks, and adhesives—which are normally used during fabrication.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a coating isapplied to at least a portion of an outer surface of the novel coresub-assembly. Preferably, the coating comprises a material selected fromthe group consisting of an elastomer, a saturated rubber, an unsaturatedrubber, polyurea, vinyl, polyvinylchloride, and combinations thereof. Itwill be understood that the coating may be applied via spray coating,dip coating, vacuum form coating, etcetera.

The furniture assembly may also include a novel core sub-assembly thatcomprises one or more drainage apertures for outdoor applications.

The foregoing description merely explains and illustrates the inventionand the invention is not limited thereto except insofar as the appendedclaims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have thedisclosure before them will be able to make modifications withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:
 1. A furniture assembly adapted to support a human ina seated position, comprising: a novel core sub-assembly, wherein thenovel core sub-assembly comprises a seat member, a base member, a leftside, a right side, a front side, a back side, an optional back supportmember, an optional left arm, and an optional right arm.
 2. Thefurniture assembly according to claim 1, wherein the novel coresub-assembly is fabricated from a material selected from the groupconsisting of a natural polymeric resin, a synthetic polymeric resin,polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, bark, cork, andcombinations thereof.
 3. The furniture assembly according to claim 2,wherein the novel core sub-assembly is fabricated from polystyrene. 4.The furniture assembly according to claim 3, wherein the polystyrenecomprises a density ranging from approximately 0.8 g/cm³to approximately4.3 g/cm³.
 5. The furniture assembly according to claim 3, wherein thepolystyrene comprises a density ranging from approximately 1.0 g/cm³ toapproximately 2.0 g/cm³.
 6. The furniture assembly according to claim 1,wherein the novel core sub-assembly is at least partially covered with aslipcover.
 7. The furniture assembly according to claim 6, wherein theslipcover comprises a padded seat member.
 8. The furniture assemblyaccording to claim 6, wherein the slipcover comprises a padded backsupport member.
 9. The furniture assembly according to claim 6, whereinthe slipcover comprises a padded seat member and a padded back supportmember.
 10. The furniture assembly according to claim 6, wherein theslipcover is fabricated from a material selected from the groupconsisting of a natural material, a synthetic material, cotton, wool,denim, felt, vinyl, leather, rayon, polyester, and combinations thereof.11. The furniture assembly according to claim 1, wherein a coating isapplied to at least a portion of an outer surface of the novel coresub-assembly.
 12. The furniture assembly according to claim 11, whereinthe coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting ofan elastomer, a saturated rubber, an unsaturated rubber, polyurea,vinyl, polyvinylchloride, and combinations thereof.
 13. The furnitureassembly according to claim 1, wherein the novel core sub-assemblycomprises one or more drainage apertures.
 14. A furniture assemblyadapted to support a human in a seated position, comprising: a novelcore sub-assembly, wherein the novel core sub-assembly is fabricatedfrom polystyrene and comprises a seat member, a base member, a leftside, a right side, a front side, a back side, a back support member, aleft arm, and a right arm; and wherein the novel core sub-assembly is atleast partially covered with a slipcover and/or a coating is applied toat least a portion of an outer surface of the novel core sub-assembly,wherein the coating comprises polyurea.
 15. The furniture assemblyaccording to claim 14, wherein the polystyrene comprises a densityranging from approximately 1.0 g/cm³ to approximately 2.0 g/cm³.